Blade gate



March 26, 1968 H. c. GLESMANN 3,374,562

BLADE GATE Filed April 30, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l @fi/WW March 26, 1968 H. C. GLESMANN 3,374,562

BLADE GATE Filed April 30, 1965 2 sheets-sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,374,562 BLADE GATE Herbert C. Glesmann, Omaha, Nebr., assigner to Omsteel Industries, Inc., a corporation of Nebraska Filed Apr. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 452,172 13 Claims. (Cl. S17-56) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Gate mechanism for a moldboard including mounting means for rigid attachment to a moldboard, a gate adapted to be disposed at one end of a moldboard, a linkage on the order of a parallelogram linkage connecting the gate and a mounting means so that the gate may lbe raised or lowered relative to the moldboard and a power means mounted on the mounting means and connected to the gate for raising and lowering the same.

Background of the invention A common method of moving material is by pushing it with -a moldboard. In many cases, the moldboard is placed on its supporting Vehicle in an angular relationship therewith. Accordingly, the material accumulating on the moldboard blade drifts to one side of the blade until it is no longer engaged thereby and forms a windrow along the path of movement of the vehcile. While the formation of the windrow is generally intended, occasionally such action is not desirable. Por example, in removing snow from streets the resulting windrow will block driveways as well as intersections. Similarly, in construction work involving earth moving, the window can present a substantial obstacle to construction equipment. Furthermore, such a moldboard arrangement has its drawbacks when used in road grading or for the laying of asphalt. In the case of the former, dirt or gravel being carried by the moldboard will often be pushed off the side of the road and can plug up drainage ditches and culverts. In the case of the latter, the asphalt is not held on the moldboard and the resulting windrow of apshalt may be substantially wasted, or will overlap an adjacent asphalt mat to produce a raised or uneven spot at the junction of the two mats.

In order to eliminate the problem of undesirable windrows, the prior art has used gates on the end of the moldboard that may be selectively operated to preclude the formation of the windrow as desired. While some such prior art devices have met with fair success, the various constructions have had many drawbacks. Many such constructions have been large and unwieldly and thereby limit the maneuverability of the moldboard relative to the vehicle on which it is mounted. Many such constructions require protrusion of the device beyond the Working width of the moldboard. Such protrusion may exist in the lowered position and/or during the lowering and raising action and may result in damaging contact with adjacent property such as parking meters, mail boxes, light and sign posts. Others require substantial modification of the vehicle to facilitate the mounting of the blade gate thereon.

Summary of the invention The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved blade gate for use with a moldboard mounted on a vehicle.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved blade gate for a moldboard mounted on a vehicle of such compact construction that the moldboard may be moved relative to the vehicle without interference between the blade gate attachment and the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blade gate for a moldboard that may be moved away from a material retaining position relative to the moldboard wherein the path of such movement necessitates only a minimal clearance between the vehicle and the physical surroundings, such as a steep embankment or curb adjacent a road on which the vehicle is being used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gate attachment for a moldboard mounted on a vehicle that requires only minor modification of the moldboard to facilitate attachment of the gate mechanism thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gate mechanism for a moldboard wherein the gate is positioned relative to the moldboard by a plurality of spaced members to minimize utter of the gate relative to the moldboard that may lead to the horizontal opening of the gate when the latter is subjected to the force and pressures of operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the Afollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a conventional road grader having a moldboard with a blade gate mounted thereon wherein the moldboard and the blade gate `are swung to a non-grading position beneath the grader frame;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation of the blade gate on a moldboard;

FIGURE 3 is a rear view of the blade gate mounted on the moldboard, and showing the gate in a raised position; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan View of the blade gate made according to the invention and mounted on the moldboard.

Description of the preferred embodiment A conventional road grader is generally designated 10 as seen in FIGURE 1. The grader includes a frame member 12 which is supported by front wheels 13 and rear wheels, not shown. A moldboard =blade circle 14 is supported from the frame 12 by a pair of blade lift members 15 and a frame 15a. Mounted for rotation on the moldboard blade circle 14 is a moldboard or plow 16. At one end 16a of the moldboard 16, an examplary form of the invention, generally designated 1S, is mounted.

Turning now to FIGURE 4, the gate mechanism 18 comprises a gate 20 of vertically stepped construction. At the lower end of the gate 2d and in the step is mounted a plate 22, preferably of a metal that will resist wear, and which is secured to the gate 20 by suitable securing means such as bolts 24. The gate 20 includes an angularly offset portion 25 which transversely `abuts the end 16a of the moldboard 16.

Since moldboards generally have an arcuate crosssection, in order to preclude the presence of a gap between the moldboard end 16a and the gate 20 which would permit leakage of material carried by the moldboard 16 therethrough, the angle of offset of the portion 25 is such that the latter snugly abuts the moldboard end to eliminate such a gap, while the major portion of the gate extends from the moldboard 16 in a direction generally parallel tothe vehicle frame and thus the direction in which the Vehicle is to travel.

An lL-shaped plate 26 yis secured to the gate 20 by welding, or the like, such that its major length is substantially in the plane of the major portion of the gate 20. A second plate 218 is secured to the L-shaped plate 26 in a spaced parallel relationship to the minor length of the latter. A top plate 30 is, in turn, secured to Jthe gate olset portion 25, the plate 28 and major length of the L-shaped plate 26 to rigidity the construction. Preferably, for added strength, the plates 28 and 30r comprise a single L-shaped member. A pair ot spaced apertured lugs 32 are additionally secured to the inner surface of the gate V and are spaced a substantial distance from the plate 28 and the L-shaped plate 26.

To mount the gate mechanism on a moldboard, there is provided an inverted, U-shaped, elongated channel 34 which rests upon the top of the moldboard 16 (see FIG- URE 3), and extends in a direction generally transverse to the plane of the offset portion of the gate 20 so as to insure the gap preventing Irelationship set forth above. The U-shaped channel l34 bears on its base an apertured lug 36 for purposes that will be seen hereinafter. Also mounted on the base of the U-shaped channel 34, and angularly related thereto, is la horizontal plate 38. The horizontal plate 38 includes an upturned ange 39 for rigidiiication purposes. Mounted on the end of the plate 38 that projects forwardly of the moldboard 16 is an upturned angular end plate 40. On the rearward end of the plate 38 is mounted a second vertically arranged end plate 42, `which has, at its lower end, a forwardly projecting ange 44 -for securing the blade gate to the moldboard, as for example, to the moldboard reinforcing backing 16b, by suitable securing means 46. It will be recognized that due to variations in moldboard constructions, it may be necessary to interpose an adaptor (not shown) between the ange 44 and the backing 16b. interposed between the horizontal plate 38 and the inturned ange 44, and spaced forwardly of the end plate 42, is a vertically arrange plate 47 .(see FIGURES 2 and 4) for purposes that will be seen hereinafter.

A VU-shaped link, generally designated 48, has a portion of its base 50 extending between the end plates 40 and 42. The 'U-shaped link 48 further comprises a pair of legs 52 and 54. The leg 54 is pivotally mounted on the end plate 42 at 56a, while the leg 52 is pivotally mounted to the end plate 40 at 56a (see FIGURES 2 and 3). The pivots I56a and 56b have a common axis of rotation. The extreme end of the leg 52 is received between the pair of 4apertured lugs 32 on the Vgate 20 and pivotally mounted therein by a pivot 58a, while the extreme end of the leg 54 is received between the plate 28 yand the minor length of the L-shaped plate 26 and is pivotally mounted therein by pivot 58b. Again, the pivots v58a and 58b are constructed to have a common axis of rotation. Mounted on the base 50 of the U-shaped link 48 is an apertured lug 60 for such purposes as will hereinafter appear.

A second link 62, as seen in FIGURE 2, has one end pivotally mounted at 64 between the end plate 42l and the plate 47. The other end of the second link 62 is received between the plate 28 and the minor length of the L-shaped plate 26 and is pivotally mounted therein at 66 (see FIG- URES 2 and 4). The links 54 and 62 and the plates 26 and 42 form a linkage not unlike a parallelogram linkage to movably mount the gate 20 for up and down movement in a substantially vertical plane relative to the moldboard l16 such that the attitude ot the gate in its lower position is substantially the same as that in its upper position. However, the above described linkage deviates somewhat from a parallelogram linkage so that a path of movement of the gate 20 relative to the moldboard 16 that minimizes clearance requirements is obtained. For example, the distance between the pivots 56a and 58b is made greater than that between the pivots 64 and 66. Similarly, the distancebetween the pivots 58b and 66 is the pivots 56a and 64 as four (4) is to three (3). While it is not critical and may be varied to suit the dimensions lof any given moldboard blade, the use of such a relationship will result in the minimization of the clearance distance between the end of the moldboard and the outer extremity of the gate 20 required in order to raise or lower the gate relative to the moldboard 16 and will cause the gate 2t) to be swung to an upper position wherein the gate does not extend past the moldboard end 16a, as seen in FIGURE 3.

To selectively raise and lower the gate 20, or maintain it in any of several intermediate positions for controlled material spillage, there is provided a hydraulic cylinder 68 which may be connected to a suitable source of hydraulic uid under pressure, such -as that normally found on a tract-or or a road grader, or even the power steering unit on a truck. The hydraulic cylinderY 68 includes a piston 70 and is nested in a substantially lhorizontal position between the legs 52 and 54. The cylinder l68 and the piston 70 are additionally interposed between the apertured lugs 36 and 60 with the cylinder 68 hav-y by precluding the attitude of the gate from changing substantially yand minimizing the distance from which the outer side of the gate 20 travels from the end of the moldboard 16.

Through use of a double acting cylinder and appropriat controls, the gate 20 may be positively positioned in either its upper or its lower position or any position therebetween. However, if desired, a single acting cylinder may be used to Araise the gate to an upper Vor intermediate position in which case, the weight of the gate assembly will cause the gate to lower when the single acting cylinder is deactivated.

Because of the absence of lengthy vertical projections,

as well as the closeness of the gate in relation to themoldboard when the former is in its lowered position, the moldboard may be moved relative to the vehicle without interference between the gate mechanism and various parts of the vehicle. For example, FIGURE 1 (which is an approximate scale drawing of a form of the inventionV mounted on a No. 112, Series F, Caterpillar Road Grader) shows the moldboard swung into a parallel relationship with the vehicle frame 12 wherein the gate mechanism has passed below the frame members and inside of the front wheels 13. This produces a substantial advantage over prior art devices and adds significantly to the utility of a gate mechanism made according to the invention.

Because of the spaced connection of the gate 20 to the legs 52 and 54 and the link 62, it will be appreciated that the gate 20 will not vibrate or Hutter significantly relative to its mounting. This feature minimizes the possibility of the gate opening slightly in a horizontal direction such that the material carried by the moldboard will spill and form a windrow.

It will also be appreciated that the vehicle on which the gate is to be used doesv not have to be modified in order to support the latter. The unique mounting means including the inverted U-shaped channel 34 andv theinturned flange 44 permits the device to be mounted on the moldboard merely through the use of conventional securing means such as bolts. As a result, installation of a gate mechanism made according to the invention on a moldboard on any type of vehicle is significantly easier, and accordingly, may be done more economically. Furthermore, such a construction totally eliminates the possibility that a modiiication made to facilitate the mounting of such a blade gate will interfere with an unforeseen subsequent use of the vehicle on which the blade gate is mounted.

Finally, it will be appreciated that because of the ease of installation of a gate mechanism according to the invention, such a mechanism may be readily installed on existing vehicles of varying nature thereby permitting owners and operators of such vehicles to take advantage of the benefits produced by such a gate mechanism.

Having described my invention as required by 35 U.S.C. 112. I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction set forth, but rather, to have my invention construed according to its true spirit as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A gate mechanism for a material moving apparatus having a moldboard comprising:

(a) mounting means for placement on a moldboard,

having a top and a bottom,

(b) means on said mounting means for rigid attachment to a moldboard,

(c) a gate having a bottom and adapted to be disposed at one end of a moldboard with its bottom in substantialiy the same plane as said moldboard bottom to hold material on said moldboard, and

(d) link means connecting said gate to said mounting means, said link means comprising means for moving said gate relative to said mounting means in a substantially vertical plane between a rst position wherein said gate bottom is in substantially the same plane as said moldboard bottom and a second position wherein said gate bottom is above said moldboard top, the attitude of the gate in said ti-rst position being substantially the same as the attitude of the gate in said second position.

2. A blade gate attachment for a vehicle having a frame for supporting a moldboard at an angle thereto, said blade gate attachment comprising:

(a) a gate having a major portion adapted to be generally parallel to the vehicle frame when in use, and an angularly offset portion adapted to transversely abut the end of the moldboard,

(b) linkage means secured to said gate for moving said gate in a predetermined generally vertical path relative to a moldboard, and

(c) mounting means movably mounting said linkage means and said gate for securing said gate to a moldboard such that said angularly offset portion transversely -abuts a moldboard to prevent material leakage therebetween and said major portion is generally parallel to the vehicle frame for at least one work performing position of the moldboard relative to the vel-ticle frame.

3. A blade gate attachment for a vehicle having a frame rotatably supporting a moldboard comprising:

(a) a gate adapted to be placed at the end of a moldboard,

(b) mounting means for movably mounting said gate on a moldboard,

(c) linkage means comprising a pair of legs movably interconnecting said mounting means and said gate, and

(d) a generally horizontally disposed hydraulic cylinder nested between said legs and interconnecting said mounting means and said linkage means for moving said linkage means and said gate relative to the moldboard and said mounting means whereby a mold- 6 board bearing said gate may be swung under the frame of the vehicle.

4. The blade gate attachment of claim 3 wherein said mounting means comprises an inverted U-shaped channel adapted to be received on the upper edge of-a moldboard, and said hydraulic cylinder is connected to the base of said channel.

5. Material moving apparatus comprising:

(a) a vehicle,

(b) a moldboard mounted on said vehicle,

(c) mounting means,

(d) means rigidly securing said mounting means to said moldboard,

(e) first link means,

(f) first pivot means pivotally connecting said rst link means to said mounting means,

(g) a gate disposed at said one end of said moldboard,

(h) second pivot means pivotally interconnecting said gate and said irst link means,

(i) second link means,

(j) third pivot means pivotally connecting said second lin-k means to said mounting means and spaced from said first pivot means,

(k) fourth pivot means pivotally connecting said second link means to said gate and spaced from said second pivot means, and

(l) means operatively interposed between said mounting means and said gate for selectively raising said gate relative to said moldboard,

6. A gate mechanism for a material moving apparatus having a moldboard comprising;

(a) mounting means,

(b) means on said mounting means for rigid attachment to a moldboard,

(c) link means having two spaced legs,

(d) first pivot means pivotally interconnecting said legs to said mounting means,

(e) an elongated gate adapted to be disposed at one end of a moldboard,

(f) second pivot means pivotally interconnecting said gate and said legs, v

(g) second link means,

(h) third pivot means pivotally interconnecting said second link means to said mounting means and spaced from said rst pivot means,

(i) fourth pivot means pivotally interconnecting said second link means to said gate and spaced from said second pivot means, and

(l) means operatively interposed between said mounting means and said gate for selectively raising said gate relative to said mounting means.

7. A gate mechanism for a material moving apparatus having a moldboard comprising:

(a) mounting means, including a plate,

(b) first and second end plates on said mounting means,

(c) means for rigidly securing at least. one of said plates to a moldboard,

(d) a U-shaped link having a portion of its base eX- tending between said end plates,

(e) tirst pivot means pivotally interconnecting said base of said U-shaped link to said end plates,

(f) a gate,

(g) second pivot means pivotally interconnecting said gate and the legs of said U-shaped link,

(h) a second link,

(i) third pivot means pivotally interconnecting said second link to said second end plate beneath said first pivot means,

(j) fourth pivot means pivotally interconnecting said second link to said gate below said second pivot means, and

(k) a hydraulic cylinder having a piston, said piston and cylinder being operatively interposed between said gate and said mounting means.

8. A gate mechanism for a material moving apparatus having -a moldboard comprising:

(a) an inverted, U-shaped, elongated 'channel member adapted to be seated on the upper edge of a moldboard,

(b) a mounting member secured to the base of said channel and at an angle with the longitudinal axis thereof,

(c) first and second end plates on said mounting member,

(d) a U-shaped link having a portion of its base extending between said end plates,

(e) firsty pivotmeans pivotally interconnecting said base of said U-shaped link to said end plates,

(f) a gate,

(g) second pivot means pivotally interconnecting said gate and the legs of said U-shaped link,

(h) a second link,

(i) third pivot means pivotally interconnecting said second link to'said second end plate beneath said first pivot means,

(j) fourth pivot means pivotally interconnecting said second link to said gate below said second pivot means, Y

(k) a hydraulic cylinder having a piston,

(l) means pivotally connecting said piston lto one of said bases, and

(m) means pivotally connecting other of said bases.

9. A gate mechanism for a material moving apparatus said cylinder to the having a moldboard comprising:

(e) a U-shaped link having a portion of its base extending between said end plates,

(f) first pivot means pivotally interconnecting said base of said U-shaped link to said end plates,

(g) a sate, Y

(h) second pivot means pivotally interconnecting said gate and the legs of said U-shaped link,

(i) -a second link,

(j) third pivot means pivotally interconnecting said second link to said second end plate beneath said first pivot means,

(k) fourth pivot means pivotally interconnecting said second link to saidV gate below said second pivot means,

(l) the distance between said first and second pivot means being greater than the distance between said third and fourth pivot means and the distance between said second and fourth pivot means being less than the distance between said first and third pivot means, t

(m) a hydraulic cylinder having a piston,

(n) means pivotally connecting said piston to one of said bases, and

(o) means pivotally connecting saidcylinder to the other of said bases.

10. Material moving apparatus comprising:

(a) a vehicle,

(b) a moldboard mounted on said vehicle,

(c) an inverted, U-shaped, elongated channel member on the upper edge of said moldboard adjacent one Y end thereof,

(d) a mounting member. secured to the base of said channel and at an angle with the longitudinal axis thereof,

(e) a first end plate on said mounting member adjacent the -front side of said moldboard and a second end plate on said mounting member adjacent the rear side of said moldboard,

(f) means rigidly securing said second end plate to said moldboard,

(g) a U-shaped link having a portion of its base extending between said end plates,V

(h) yfirst pivot meansy pivotally interconnecting said base of said U-shaped link to said end plates,

(i) a gate disposed at said one end of said moldboard,

(j) second `pivot means pivotally interconnecting said Y gate and the legs of said U-shaped link,

(k) a second link,

(l) third pivot means pivotally interconnecting said second link to said second end plate beneath said first pivot means,

(m) fourth pivot means pivotally interconnecting said second link to said gate below said second pivot means,

(n) the distance between said first and second pivot means being greater than the distance between said third and fourth :pivot means and the distance between said second and fourth pivot means being less than the distance between said first and third pivot means,

(o) a hydraulic cylinder having a piston,

(p) means pivotally connecting said piston to one of said Ibases, and

(q) means pivotally connecting said cylinder to other of said bases.

11. A blade gate attachment Vfor a moldboard coinprising: mounting means, means for securing said mounting means to a moldboard, a gate adapted to be placed at an end of a moldboard, a pair of horizontally spaced links movably interconnecting said mounting means and said gate, and at least one additional link vertically spaced from said pair of links movably interconnecting said gate and said mounting means, said links being constructed and arranged to permit movement of said gate relative to a moldboard between a firstY position wherein said gate will hold material on a mold-board and a secthe ond position wherein said gate will allow material to ow from a moldboard.

,Y 12. A blade gate Vattachment for a moldboard comprising: mounting means, means for securing said mounting means to a moldboard, a gate adapted to be placed at an end of a moldboard, a pair of horizontally spaced links movably interconnecting said mpunting means and said gate, and at least one additional link vertically spaced from said pair of links interconnecting said Vgate and said mounting means, said links being constructed and arranged to permit movement of said gate relative to a moldboard between a first position wherein said gate will hold material on a` moldboard and a second position wherein said gate will allow material to flow from a moldboard, said links each having one end pivotally connected to said mounting means and the other end pivotally connected to Ysaid gate, the -pivotal connections being arranged so that when said gate is in said first position, said one ends of said links are higher than said other end of said links.

13. A blade gate attachment for a moldboard comprising: mounting means, means for securing said mounting means to a moldboard, a gate adapted to be placed at an end of a moldboard, a pair of horizontally spaced links movably interconnecting said mounting means and said gate, and at least one additional link vertically spaced from said pair of links interconnecting said gate and said mounting means, said links 'being constructed and arranged to permit movement of said lgate relative to a moldboard between a first position wherein said gate will hold material on a moldboard and a second position wherein said gate will Vallow material to flow from a moldboard, said links each having one end pivotally connected to said mounting means and the other end pivotally connected to said gate, the pivotal connections being arranged so that when said gate is in said first position, said one ends of said links are higher than said other end of said links, the pivotal connection of the lowermost one of said links between said other end and said Igate being located `below the mid-point of said gate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 3,055,126 9/1962 Emhof 37-42 -3,148,466 9/1964 Batko 37--143 X 3,231,991 2/ 1966 Wandscheer 37-42 ANTONIO F. GUIDA, Prmaly Examiner. ABRAHAM G. STONE, Examiner.

R. L. HOLLISTER, Assistant Examiner. 

